New Dodgers owners promise fan-centric changes

Cheaper parking, more access to players planned after McCourt reign

SamMamudi

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The new owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers introduced themselves Wednesday, and immediately vowed to make going to games a more fan-friendly experience.

Among changes announced at a press conference at Dodger Stadium were greater access to batting practices and autograph sessions, an email account for fans to send suggestions and cheaper parking.

The fan-centric talk Wednesday was a signal that the new ownership group, led by controlling partner Mark Walter, chief executive of Guggenheim Partners, is keen to move on from the era of former owner Frank McCourt.

Andy Pettitte says he may have misunderstood Roger Clemens

(4:11)

Baseball pitcher Andy Pettitte backs away from his testimony that friend and teammate Roger Clemens once admitted to having used performance-enhancing drugs. Janet Adamy has details. (Photo: Getty Images)

Stan Kasten, incoming president and chief executive, also said players in uniforms will sometimes meet fans at the stadium’s gates.

Kasten is part of the Guggenheim Baseball Management group that paid $2.15 billion for the Dodgers, Dodger Stadium and surrounding land. The deal, announced on March 27, was completed Tuesday.

”We want fans to have the best fan experience they’ve ever had,” said basketball legend Magic Johnson, another member of the new ownership group. “We want to make sure it’s fan-friendly.”

General parking prices would be cut to $10 from $15, according to Johnson. “We’re going to look to make sure we honor the fans and give back to the fans,” he added.

Kasten, who promised team executives would be accessible to fans, has plenty of baseball executive-office experience, having been president of the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves.

Exit McCourt

McCourt, the former owner, was notorious among Dodgers faithful for not being receptive to fans and for allegedly taking close to $200 million out of the franchise. His high-profile divorce case revealed that he and his family lived a lavish lifestyle largely at the Dodgers’ expense.

McCourt’s tenure as owner ended in bankruptcy court, as debts took down a blue-chip baseball franchise that plays in the country’s second-largest media market.

As his mishandling of the club’s finances became public — and the team struggled on the field — crowds last year averaged 36,000 a game, a steep decline from 2010’s 44,000 attendance. Perhaps the lowest point of his ownership was the fallout from an attack in the Dodger Stadium parking lot in April 2011, which left a San Francisco Giants fan critically injured. Two individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the attack.

By contrast, the club’s sale seems to have brought better fortunes already. Attendance is up to nearly 40,000 a game this season and the team leads the National League West. Ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw is the reigning Cy Young winner, while outfielder Matt Kemp finished second in MVP voting last year and had a scorching April, hitting .417 with 12 home runs and 25 runs batted in.

McCourt may not be completely out of the picture. The terms of the Dodgers’ sale stipulated that McCourt would receive a share of profits from any future developments of land around the stadium. But the new owners stressed he would have no involvement with the franchise.

“Every aspect of the operations in Chavez Ravine is controlled and managed by us, and all revenues come to us,” said Walter. “There are no plans for any developments, but there are 300 acres here.”

Much of that value is expected to be in a new media-rights deal after the Dodgers’ pact with Fox Sports expires in late 2013. During McCourt’s final attempts to stave off bankruptcy, Fox — owned by News Corp.
NWS, +1.64%
like MarketWatch — offered to extend its deal with the club for a reported $3 billion over 17 years, an indication of how valuable the Dodgers are to broadcasters.

Some sports-business analysts believe that any new media agreement could also see the club take part ownership of a regional sports network.

Walter defended the price his group paid for the Dodgers, a figure that shocked many in baseball. “I really feel like the market set the price,” he added. “I think that people will look back and say ‘The value was there.’”

Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use.
Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. Intraday data
delayed per exchange requirements. S&P/Dow Jones Indices (SM) from Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
All quotes are in local exchange time. Real time last sale data provided by NASDAQ. More
information on NASDAQ traded symbols and their current financial status. Intraday
data delayed 15 minutes for Nasdaq, and 20 minutes for other exchanges. S&P/Dow Jones Indices (SM)
from Dow Jones & Company, Inc. SEHK intraday data is provided by SIX Financial Information and is
at least 60-minutes delayed. All quotes are in local exchange time.